A motorcycle went down Wednesday in the 9000-block of Young Rd. It was a
minor in nature and no one was seriously injured. Car and truck drivers will
need to be aware because of all the bikes on the road now. It's not very
often that motorcyclists aren't seriously injured.

Thursday,
March 21, 2019

Published 9 am

Farming Through the Ages

Attendance to the
Aitchelitz Museum rises annually

Staff/Voice
photo

Ray Ramey president of the Aitchelitz Thresherman's
Village museum made their annual presentation to Chilliwack city council
Tuesday.

ay
Ramey, president of Thresherman's Assn. spoke to city council Tuesday where
he said 2018 was a good year adding that 15,000 people passed through the 60
small engine museum 7 days a week and that volunteers donated 6500 hours of
their time.

He also thanked the Chilliwack Foundation for funding to do upgrades and
roof repairs and was pleased to work with Tourism Chilliwack.

Councillor Sue Attrill, thanked Ramey for the work they've done raising
money for the Chilliwack Hospice Society asking about membership costs and
was told that they are $45 single, $55 family and $75 corporate.

The purpose of the Atchelitz Threshermen’s
Association (ATA) is to encourage the collection, restoration, preservation,
operation and exhibition of Steam and Gasoline Stationary Engines, Steam and
Gasoline Tractors and Machinery used for farming as well as the development
of a working farm museum. For more information, visit the Threshermen's
Museum here.

Other city mentionables: It's been considered,
but due to a variety of reasons from parking to prices there won't be a
midway with rides at the Heritage Fair this year.

It was announced Tuesday that "The Portal"
emergency shelter at 46298 Yale Rd. will remain open until at least August.

Watch for murals on the Vedder Bridge. The
electrical kiosk wraps and other murals are graffiti-free as a code of
conduct between vandals and artists.

Tuesday,
March 19, 2019

Published 4:30 pm

Cleanliness is Next to Birdliness

Spring cleanups
at Heron Reserve and Thompson Park April 13

Nikki Rekman/Voice
file photo

Volunteers clean the parks annually in the spring.

ello
from the Chilliwack Vedder River Cleanup Society! This is a reminder about
our upcoming river cleanup scheduled for Saturday, April 13, 2019. There are
two places you can register.

If you have an FVRD Adopt-A-River section above Teskey Rock please email
Nikki here at as soon as
possible.

Other details:
• This event goes rain or shine
• We provide garbage and recycling bags, rubber gloves, and some
pick-up-sticks.
• Please wear sturdy footwear
• Please bring a travel mug/water bottle to enjoy the refreshments provided
by the Chilliwack Water Store and Tim Horton's. We will NOT be providing
cups for refreshments.

Thanks to Tim Hortons and the Chilliwack Water
Store for providing refreshments. See you on Saturday, April 13th.

With many thanks on behalf of all of us at the Chilliwack Vedder River
Cleanup Society. For more information, visit cleanrivers.ca

Tuesday,
March 19, 2019

Published 1:30 pm

Gritty Bluegrass Comes to the Valley

Slocan Ramblers
play Tractorgrease Café March 31

KARI ZALIK, Nice Marmot PR/Submitted
photo

The Slocan Ramblers are touring their latest CD "Queen City Jubilee".

n
March 31st, the Juno-nominated
Slocan Ramblers
will be at Tractorgrease touring their latest "Queen City Jubilee" CD.
Rooted in traditional bluegrass music, the band is instills both the old and
the modern into their creative process. Influenced by artists such as The
Stanley Brothers, Norman Blake and Steve Earle - the band relishes in
blending lightning fast / devilishly intricate instrumentals with
sawdust-thick vocals.

Fearlessly inventive and possessing a
bold, dynamic sound, The Slocans have quickly become a leading light
of Canada’s roots music scene. With a reputation for energetic live
shows, impeccable musicianship and an uncanny ability to convert
anyone within earshot into a lifelong fan, The Slocans understand
that if you polish up the music, you lose the raw excitement that
makes it so vibrant.

With rave reviews from the BBC, and garnering the 2015 Edmonton Folk
Fest Emerging Artist Award - the band’s live set is not to be
missed. Watch Mighty Hard Road
here.

Tuesday,
March 19, 2019

Published 1 pm

Overdose Deaths Continue to Drop

BC Coroner says
2.9 daily in January

BC GOV'T CAUCUS/Voice
file photos

First responders deal with an overdose victim in April 2016.

he
BC Coroners Service has released two updated reports on illicit drug
overdose deaths and fentanyl-detected deaths to the end of January 2019.

There were 90 suspected drug overdose
deaths in January 2019. This is a 31% decrease over the number of deaths
occurring in January 2018 (130)The BC Coroners Service has released two
updated reports on illicit drug overdose deaths and fentanyl-detected
deaths to the end of January 2019.

• There were 90 suspected drug overdose
deaths in January 2019. This is a 31% decrease over the number of deaths
occurring in January 2018 (130)
• The number of illicit drug overdose deaths in January 2019 equates to
about 2.9 deaths per day.
• There were 1,310 illicit drug overdose deaths with fentanyl detected
in 2018. This is a 7% increase over the number of deaths occurring in
2017 (1,223).
• In January 2019, carfentanil was detected in 13 overdose deaths. By
comparison, carfentanil was detected in 35 suspected illicit drug
overdose deaths in 2018 and in 71 deaths between June 2017 (when
Coroners Service testing for carfentanil began) and December 2017.
• Fentanyl or its analogues were detected in approximately 87% of
illicit drug overdose deaths in 2018 and 82% of illicit drug overdose
deaths in 2017.
There were no deaths at supervised consumption or drug overdose
prevention sites.

Monday,
March 18, 2019

Published 3 pm

Gill Bar Cleanup

Volunteer's BBQ
and prizes after

MOLLY O'RAY,
FRASER RIVERKEEPER/Voice file photos

Gill Bar cleanup Saturday 10 am to 1 pm.

he
long-standing tradition of gathering every spring to clean up the Fraser
River began back in 2007, with a small group of volunteers and a big
love for our salmon and rivers. Fraser Riverkeeper hosted the first
cleanup along the Fraser River in Chilliwack, BC and in the 12 years
since, they have partnered with local company Woodtone to organize the
event.

When: 10am-1pm Saturday, March 23.
Rain or Shine.

Where: End of Gill Rd.

“Over
125 tonnes of garbage collected from the Chilliwack Fraser corridor over
the past 11 years is staggering,” says Woodtone representative Kevin
Raffle. “Over that time, the response we have received from the
community to get involved has been really inspiring. The growing
movement within Chilliwack and the Fraser Valley to combat illegal
dumping and the abuse of our watershed shows that the general public
cares about what is happening in their backyard”. See more
here.

Monday,
March 18, 2019

Published 11 am

Viva Commercial Drive

Bella Ciao! April
10 at Vancity Theatre

Nicola Pender, Pender
PR/Website photo

Vancouver International Film Fest features Bella Ciao! April 10th.

ommercial
Drive Productions is pleased to announce the hometown premiere of Bella
Ciao! on April 10th at Vancity Theatre.The film, which had
its world premiere at the Whistler Film Festival in December, stars Carmen
Aguirre (Endgame), Tony Nardi (La Sarrasine) and a who’s
who of Vancouver actors. The film is directed by Carolyn Combs, the
Executive Director of Women in Film & Television Vancouver (WIFTV). See more
here.

Sunday,
March 17, 2019

Published Noon

Higher Education

Public schools
took a beating in Fraser Institute rankings behind Christian-based schools

STAFF/Voice
file photo

According to Fraser Inst. annual rankings, from 1 to 10, Chilliwack public
schools struggled to get over 6.

he
Fraser Institute released its annual rankings of B.C. elementary schools on
Saturday. Some parents and administrators dispute the ranking system and
others use it to compare the academic performance of the province’s schools.

In Chilliwack, rankings for elementary schools out of 10 varies from Timothy
Christian (Independent) 9.8 to Bernard (Public) Rating of 2.4

Evidently, every independent and Christian-based schools with dress codes
outranked public schools. See school rankings
here.

Sunday,
March 17, 2019

Published Noon

Plain Clothes Cops

Reader supports
elimination of school dress codes

JB. N Van/Pinterest
image

District 33 wants to remove school dress codes. In this chart, girls outfits
banned such as mini skirt, tight tops and leggings.

am writing in support of Trustee Reichelt’s motion on the school dress code
which was discussed at Board of Education meeting Tuesday March 12, 2019.

I have read the media reports of the meeting and strongly dispute the
statements of Trustee Darrell Furgason and Trustee Heather Maahs.

Reasoned opinions for Trustee Reichelt’s wording:

“That instead of having to worry about their clothing, young women should be
engaged with their studies, whether or not men approve of their clothes.”

“It’s not up to girls and women to cover their bodies to somehow make life
easier for men and boys,” she says. “It’s up to each individual person to
manage their own distractions and manage their own desire.”

Were you and your readers aware of news reports from UK, where some young
girls are having their breasts literally ironed by their family - to break
the breast tissue, to slow/prevent growing of breasts, to not present a
distraction or temptation to males? See link
here.

I understand the original motion at the Board of Education Chilliwack
meeting March 12, 2019 to do away with the dress code, was sent back to
staff for review. This motion should be passed with the original intent.

Sunday,
March 17, 2019

Published Noon

Media Darlings

Reader accuses
mainstream media of spotlighting only lefties on the dress code issue

D'arcy Surrette,Chilliwack/Pinterest image

hy
does Ash Kelly show a one-sided view of the Chilliwack School Board
trustees?

It appears that the left wing school board member Willow Reichelt and her
cronies get all the coverage on the issue. Also, left wingers Meghan Reid
and Taran Parmar get news coverage about being offended by conservative
school trustees comments.

We are offended by the come-as-you are attitude of the left wingers. If they
want to wear skimpy clothing, they can do it on their own time. The erosion
of rules and regulations by the left wing is undermining what respect
society has left.

Shame on News 1130 for their biased coverage. It is little wonder that there
is so little respect for the news media.

Back in 1970 Winnipeg, in my junior high class, a young girl aged about 14
was wearing a very short skirt, pantyhose, and NO underwear. Once the word
got out, every male in the class was dropping his pen in front of her. The
funny thing was that although she saw all these pens fall on the floor in
front of her, she never twigged in to what was happening and looked
confused.

My wife just reminded me that the reason for school uniforms was so that the
children whose family could not afford designer clothes would not feel left
out.

Senior's Connect
Café group meets weekly for conversation and camaraderie

CONNIE STAM, RN, BSN, CNHP
SOCIETY/Voice photos

There was some major chatting going on Thursday at the Connect Café
at Homer's Restaurant.

ome recent research studies have claimed that
loneliness and social isolation may have a greater adverse effect on our
health than cigarette smoking. In England, this has led to the position of
Minister for Loneliness as more than nine million people in the country
often or always feel lonely, according to a 2017 report published by the Jo
Cox Commission on Loneliness. See more
here.

Thursday,
March 14, 2019

Published 6am

House Fire on Evans Road

Residents were
asleep in 4-plex at the time of the blaze and managed to escape unharmed

STAFF/Voice
photos

Emergency Social
Services were there to assist residents.

t
approximately 4 am, Chilliwack Fire Department were called out to a reported
structure fire in the 7000-block of
Evans Rd.

By
the time crews were able to arrive, the fire had already spread to the roof
of the newer homes and the vinyl siding had melted off in the rear.

"Firefighters responded
from Halls 1, 4, and 6, and on arrival, reported seeing heavy smoke and
flames venting through the center roof peak of four attached homes," said
Andrew Brown, Assistant Chief Training. "Occupants were at home and asleep
at the time of the fire. One occupant woke up to strange sounds, smelled
smoke and noticed embers outside the rear of the home. The occupant called
the Fire Department and alerted occupants in attached units."

"The fire appears to
have started on the outside of one of the center units and travelled up to
the soffits and into the attic space. Firefighters set up a defensive fire
attack and were able to quickly bring the fire under control. The two center
homes suffered extensive fire, water and smoke damage, while the two outside
homes suffered smoke damage. Occupants were unable to return to their
homes," said Brown.

There were no civilian or firefighter
injuries.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, and is under investigation by
the Chilliwack Fire Department.

The
Chilliwack Fire Department wants to remind the public to ensure they have a
home fire escape plan. Please follow the link
here for guidance on how to make a home fire escape plan.

Thursday,
March 14, 2019

Published 9pm

Support Your Local Artists

Agassiz presents
its best painters April 6

LORETTA DOUGLAS, Agassiz
Monday Painters/
Submitted photo

The 58th
Anniversary of the Agassiz Monday Painters show is April 6.

hey've
been painting longer than most people have been alive and Agassiz Monday
Painters are once again pleased to announce their upcoming 58th Anniversary
Art Show.

When: Sat. April 6th from 10 am to 4 pm

Where:
Agassiz United Church Hall, 6860 Lougheed Hwy.

Admission:
Free

Refreshments are
available by donation. There will be a free draw for door prizes.

Come join us &
enjoy the talents of the participating artists who work in a variety of
media!

The
featured artist this year will be Barry Garner who has been a
longstanding member of Monday Painters.

For more
information contact Barry Garner at (604) 796 0120

Thursday,
March 14, 2019

Published 9pm

We Rock!

Chilliwack Team Klebe advances to 2019 BC
Women's Masters March 5-10

REBECCA CONNOP-PRICE,
Curl BC/Steve
Seixeiro
photos

Team Klebe:
Janet Klebe (l to r), Kerri Miller, Jane Adam and Laurie Shimizu scored four
in the first end hold their plaque
after winning the BC Women's Masters.

hey
started the event by scoring an 8-ender, so it does not come as a huge
surprise that Team Klebe secured the 2019 BC Masters Women’s title.

A total of eight master men’s teams and 10 master women’s teams competed
in Nanaimo at the 2019 Connect Hearing BC Masters Curling Championships
from March 5-10.

An 8-ender, where a team gets all eight of their rocks in scoring
position, is rare in league play and even more rare at a provincial
championship. See more
here.

Tuesday,
March 12, 2019

Published 2pm

Reflections
in the aftermath of Int. Women's Day

On Feminism and Chelsea
Manning

Betty Krawczyk, Cumberland/Chelsea
Manning, Wiki pic

Chelsea Manning.

n
Women’s day I sat down to reflect upon and maybe write a small article about
all of the brave women who have dared the risks of making, or trying to
make, change in our corrupted world. There were women’s marches on a global
scale this year but I first looked at and saluted our own Canadian women.

What Canadian woman could not thrill at the
risks Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott have taken in their careers to
expose the wrong-doing of the Trudeau government in seeking to cover up the
sins of a powerful corporation (SNC-Lavalin). See more
here.

Tuesday,
March 12, 2019

Published 2pm

Crash City

Intersections can
be particularly dangerous

Staff/Voice
photo

Emergency crews
attend to an accident in the intersection at Main St. and Princess Ave.
Sunday.

his
intersection t-bone accident Sunday was minor in nature. Thankfully no one
was seriously injured. Reports were an elderly driver had a little pain in
her side.

Intersections are a hot
zone. ICBC says that almost 60 per cent of crashes happen at intersections.

Just approach with
caution and try not to run yellow lights because a vehicle may already be
waiting to turn left and you should be okay.

"We help families and
businesses who have a strong desire to give to the cause they are most
passionate about in their own community. We make their generosity support
that cause forever." says Board Chair, John Lawson.

"In celebration of our 25th anniversary, we are pleased that several new
initiatives will help to increase the number of grants awarded through the
year. We look forward to the additional support this will provide to the
charitable community."” says Karen Young, Executive Director.

“Our work is really about investing in and supporting the people of Surrey
and we've made changes to the application process to make it easier for
charities to apply. ” says Grant Committee Chair, Mike Bose.

2019 grant applications are now available online at surreycares.org. There
are 3 main categories: General Community, Special Needs and Youth
Initiatives. For more information about the categories, criteria and
application process, please visit the website at surreycares.org/grants.

CFD urges caution when
using welding machines which can cause fires such as at this Howard Ave.
home Monday.

n
March 11, 2019 at approximately 1830 hours the Chilliwack Fire Department
was dispatched to a reported structure fire located in a small workshop in
the 8000-block of Howard Crescent.

Firefighters responded from Halls 1, 4, and 6 and on arrival, reported fire
and smoke venting from the structure. Occupants were working in the shop at
time of the fire and called 911 then and began to extinguish the fire. Fire
crews setup an offensive attack bringing the fire under control and ensuring
no extension to other structures.

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries.

This fire appears to be accidental caused by welding.

Chilliwack Fire Dept. wants to remind the public that sparks and expulsion
of molten metal produced by welding and cutting processes are ready sources
of ignition that can travel up to 35 feet (10 meters) from their source.
Because sparks can travel so far, any combustible material in the immediate
area can pose a significant fire hazard. As a result, all welding areas
should be free of flammable materials. A flammable material is anything that
can be easily set on fire. These include rags, cardboard boxes, paper bags,
food, dust, gas cylinders, wood, and cans of paint, solvents, and cleaning
products.

Monday,
March 11, 2019

Published 7am

Shooting Death on Alexander
Ave

Man, 32, died on
the scene, IHIT says targeted

Staff/Voice
photos

Members of the Integrated Homicide
Investigation Team (IHIT) plan their search the area for
evidence Sunday afternoon. Below, victim James Vidal.

ust
after 6:30 am Sunday, police responded to reports of gunshots in the in the
45700-block Alexander Avenue.

Emergency services arrived to find
33-year-old James Vidal with gunshot wounds. He succumbed to his injuries
at scene. IHIT was called in to take conduct of the investigation.

"The
victim died on scene as a result of their injuries. The victim, a male in
his early 30’s, is known to police. This incident is believed to be
targeted," said S/Sgt. Stephen Vrolyk in a release.

IHIT is working closely with
the Chilliwack RCMP Serious Crime Unit to interview several witnesses and
IHIT crime scene investigators worked alongside forensic specialists from
the Integrated Forensic Identification Services to collect physical
evidence. IHIT will continue to liaise with the B.C. Coroners Service and a
post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted this week.

“We are fortunate that no one else
was hurt as a result of this careless act,” says Corporal Frank Jang of IHIT.
“IHIT will be aggressively pushing forward on its investigative avenues and
we are looking to the community to partner with us in solving this murder.”

Alexander Ave was closed to traffic all day Sunday.

Sunday afternoon, IHIT investigators fanned out in the Macdonalds Restaurant
parking lot looking for any evidence like shell casings.

If you have any information regarding this homicide, You're requested to
call the Chilliwack RCMP at (604)792-4611, the IHIT information line at
1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or if you wish to remain anonymous, please call Crime
Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Sunday,
March 10, 2019

Published 6:30pm

The River Talks

Ambient sounds out on the fishing trail

Chris Hunt, Trout Unlimited/Website
photo

Chris Hunt talks about listening to ambient sounds on a fishing hike.

he
late August rain provided the symphony, a tinny drum beat on the camper's
roof and walls, while I sat at my "kitchen" table tying up a gaudy pink
streamer.

Parked beneath the bows of towering yellow
cedar and Sitka spruce in a lonely Forest Service campground on Prince of
Wales Island, I waited out the rain at the vise. I'd fired up the generator
to give everything a charge, and I had plugged in a movie for some
background noise. But I didn't need it. The rainforest deluge was company
enough as I spun bright pink hackle into a workable collar onto a size 4
salmon hook, ahead of a strand of pink chenille and a marabou chaser,
complete with some tinsel to add some shine. See more
here.

Sunday,
March 10, 2019

Published 6pm

Nickels to Necklaces

Treasure Hunters name 2018 year-end winners

Staff/Submitted
photos

Mark Lewis (l) and First
Place
Hunter of the year Pete Bifano.

hey're
metal detecting enthusiasts. They come from all walks with the draw of the
thrill of finding something of value, an old coin or sometimes it's
expensive jewellry, a piece of history, or just an item interest to talk
about. That's what drives members of The Fraser Valley Treasure Hunters (FVTH).
See more
here.

Sunday,
March 10, 2019

Published 5:30pm

Any Dream Will Do

Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat
March 22-30

Ron Hildebrandt, Gallery 7 Theatre/Dianna
Lewis Photography

Rueben
Leonard performs as Joseph with huge cast March 22-30

allery
7 Theatre is thrilled to continue their 2018-2019 ‘Back to Classics’ Theatre
Season with the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical sensation, Joseph and the
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew
Lloyd Webber. This will be Gallery 7 Theatre’s 100th production in
its history, a major milestone for the organization. See more
here.

Saturday,
March 9, 2019

Published 3pm

Robson Street House Fire

No injuries,
house a write-off and residents displaced

STAFF/Website
images

Firefighters work
to extinguish a house fire on Robson St. at Victoria Ave. Saturday
afternoon.

his
wasn't an abandoned shack on fire. People actually lived in the nice older
two-storey at the corner of Robson St. and Victoria Ave.

The call went out just after 1:30 pm but by
the time firefighters could get there, the entire roof soffit in the
front gushed black smoke blotting out the clear blue sky behind it.

A
couple of dozen people watched as crews went on the offensive to get
the upper hand on the fire, but then were forced to fall back into defensive
mode to stop the fire from spreading to nearby structures.

Fire Halls 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 responded.
Thankfully no one was injured in the blaze. According to Chris Wilson,
Assistant Chief, Emergency Preparedness, residents weren't home but a
dog had some smoke inhalation issues.

A firefighter cranks open
a hydrant.

"Fire crews were able to successfully rescue
the homeowner’s dog from the home and assisted British Columbia Ambulance
crews with providing the dog with some oxygen and water," he said.

The Duty Chief assesses
the fire risk and directs his crews.

There is no word on how the fire started but
CFD consider it to be accidental in nature.

Crews were in for the long haul so the
Salvation Army brought in meals.

Once the community gets over the shock of a
major fire it faces additional challenges. The street will be busy, fencing,
hauling it off and then later a when a new home is constructed.

t's
pricey. A million dollars a homicide. But that's what it costs to conduct
the average investigation into a death.
Sometimes more. Last year in Surrey there were 33 shootings resulting in 15
deaths.

The Legislature Thursday was unanimous in its
support of Bill 4 'Witness Security Act', which deals with the protection of
witnesses testifying both before and after court, even if it means them
taking on a new identity. See more
here.

Friday,
March 8, 2019

Published 3pm

But 'At What Cost'

Women forced to
pick up the pieces after wars created by men

JILLIAN SKEET, WILPF Vancouver/Website
image

WILPF supports the mental
health and well-being of all citizens.

s
we once again mark International Women's Day, a group of Canadian women has
launched a project to redefine 'security' from a women's perspective. With a
self-proclaimed feminist Prime Minister in office, Canadian women have a
unique opportunity to challenge and transform how the term 'security' is
defined and understood in Canada. See more
here.

Thursday,
March 7, 2019

Published 5pm

Artificial Intelligence as a
Learning Tool

Kids program mini
robots at Chilliwack and Yarrow Libraries

BRYAN PEZZI, Fraser Valley Regional
Libraries/Handout image

One of 18 Ozbots
available at Chilliwack and Yarrow Libraries.

zobots
have arrived in the Fraser Valley, and you can find them at your
local library! This month Fraser Valley Regional Library (FVRL)
will launch Tech-Up with Ozobots at seven library
locations throughout the Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland. Aimed
at children in Grades 4 to 6, this program offers a fun
introduction to coding and digital exploration. See more
here.

Thursday,
March 7, 2019

Published Thursday 10am

Apartment
Fire Claims Life in Abbotsford

Fire Dept says
tragic blaze accidental, ladder rescues

SGT JUDY BIRD, Abbotsford
Police Dept

The 2400-block
where the fire took place.

n
Wednesday, March 06, 2019, at 10:29 PM, Abbotsford Emergency
Services responded to a structure fire located in the 2400 block
of Countess St.

Upon
arrival, Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service (AFRS) crews found two
units of the three-story structure fully engulfed. A number of
tenants had evacuated to exterior balconies and were unable to
exit further. See more
here.

Tuesday,
March 5, 2019

Published Tuesday 2pm

West Coast Magic

Early Spirit play
concert Harrison Memorial Hall March 16, kids are free!

Byran Cutler, Harrison
Music Festival/Handout photos

West My Friend will be
playing Acoutsic Emporium March 8.

he
Harrison Festival Society will present Vancouver-based Celtic
folk band Early Spirit in the Memorial Hall in Harrison on
Saturday March 16.

Early
Spirit is the latest project of Spirit of the West co-founder,
songwriter, and guitarist Jay Knutson. Jay became well known on
the Canadian and international folk scenes through his work on
the first two albums by
Spirit
of the West, one of Canada’s most celebrated bands of the past
30 years.

Later, he worked with major
Canadian artists including Hart-Rouge and Connie Kaldor. His
solo material, a constant throughout his career, draws from jazz
and roots music.

As a singer-songwriter, Jay “puts
the soul back into music, fun back into instruments, and
conviction back into lyrics” (The Chronicle Herald , Halifax).
He uses wisdom gathered from over 50 album projects to write for
and perform with Early Spirit. Few performers in folk music can
combine their experience with raw energy like Jay.

Jay is joined in Early Spirit by a
trio of talented young players, Will Chernoff (bass), Gabriel
Dubreuil (violin), and Ben Kelly (drums). Ben is son of Spirit
of the West and Paperboys member, Geoffrey Kelly, and already a
veteran of the Canadian festival circuit with groups such as
Fish and Bird. Gabriel is a talented young Franco-Canadian
fiddler who attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and
writes instrumentals with influences of Darol Anger, Casey
Driessen, Jeremy Kittel, and Natalie MacMaster.

Together, these four musicians
form a tight and passionate musical unit. Early Spirit’s
Harrison performance coincides with St. Patrick’s day, and with
the Celtic spirit in the band’s music it promises to make for a
fun night out in Harrison.

The show begins at 8:00pm with
doors opening at 7:30pm. Tickets for Early Spirit are $25.00 and
can be purchased online at
www.harrisonfestival.com, by phone at 604.796.3664 or in
person at the Ranger Station Art Gallery in Harrison and Agassiz
Shoppers Drug Mart on Pioneer Ave.

Tuesday,
March 5, 2019

Published Tuesday noon

Eclectic Tunes

Acoustic Café
features versatile band March 8

VERN TOMPKE, Acoustic
Café/Handout photo

West My Friend will be
playing Acoutsic Emporium March 8.

escribed
as everything from indie-roots to chamber-folk, West My Friend
has an acoustic blend of instruments and three-part harmonies
that challenges the conventions of popular music. The band
features pure and thrillingly eclectic vocals with catchy
arrangements of guitar, mandolin, and accordion that draw from
jazz, classical, folk, and pop influences. Inspired by artists
such as Owen Pallett, the Barenaked Ladies, Joanna Newsom, the
Beach Boys, The Decemberists, and the Punch Brothers, and forged
from a sonically adventurous acoustic music scene on Canada’s
west coast, West My Friend is proving to be a key part of a new
generation of grassroots folk music.

1. I
am not in favor of natural gas produced by fracking. Earth
quakes and sink holes have resulted.

2. Increasing sale of crude oil
overseas is very wrong. You should quickly taper off sale
immediately. China is making rapid strides at building solar
energy and soon will not need Alberta crude oil or coal. Short
term gain is long term pain. See more
here.

Monday,
March 4, 2019

Published
Monday 1 pm

Real Estate Sales Slow Off
the Spring Mark

CDREB reminds
buyers to register for the speculation tax

STEVE LERIGNY,
CADREB/Voice file
photo

atience
is definitely a virtue heading into the month of spring, as home
sales locally continue their sluggish pace. While up 37% from the
month before, at 154 completed sales, this number is down 40% from
February 2018, which saw 260 sales.

“There is no doubt that the
federal government’s ‘stress test’ implemented a year ago has
stalled the economy,” said Kyle Nason, the Chilliwack and
District Real Estate Board’s (CADREB) newly installed President.

The stress test is particularly hard
on first-time buyers, as not only do potential buyers need to
qualify for a mortgage at existing rates, but they need to prove
that they can withstand a potential interest rate hike. For sellers,
patience is the key, said Mr. Nason. See more
here.

Sunday,
March 3, 2019

Published Sunday 5 am

Music Program Goes Silent

Kwantlen U
cancels programs over fiscal shortfalls

VICTORIA
PARKER-POITRAS/Website
photo

KPU President Alan
Davis pictured in front of the Surrey Campus Main building.

y
name is Victoria Parker-Poitras and I am a third-year music major at
Kwantlen Polytechnic University. I am contacting you because I would
like to inform you of the unjust cuts being made to not only to the
music program but to other programs at KPU as well. See more
here.

Friday,
March 1, 2019

Updated Saturday 2:45 pm

Victor Street Shooting Now A
Murder Investigation

IHIT seeks
witnesses to woman's death

CPL FRANK JANG, IHIT/Voice
photo

The scene
last Tuesday after a shooting in the 9400-block of Victor St. See
'Shooting on Victor St.' below for more photos.

he
Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) is requesting public
assistance to further its investigation into the shooting death of a
42-year-old Chilliwack resident.

On February 26, 2019 just after
1p.m., the Chilliwack RCMP received a report of a woman who had been
shot in the 9400-block of Victor Street. Police arrived on scene and
found the shooting victim, 42-year-old Christine Denham, who was
transported to hospital. Ms. Denham remained in critical condition
until she succumbed to her injuries on March 1, 2019.

IHIT has taken conduct of
the investigation and is working closely with its partners from the
Chilliwack RCMP, the Integrated Forensic Identification Services and the
B.C. Coroners Service to gather evidence.

Investigators believe this was
not a random incident and there are no indications so far to link this
shooting to any gang conflict.

“IHIT detectives are working
with the Chilliwack RCMP Serious Crime Unit to identify and interview
key witnesses to determine a motive behind Christine Denham’s murder,”
says Corporal Frank Jang of IHIT. “Anyone who knew what Ms. Denham was
doing or who she was meeting with on Tuesday, February 26, 2019 is urged
to contact IHIT immediately.”

Anyone with information is asked to call
the IHIT information line at 1-877-551- IHIT (4448), or by email at
ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

Should you wish to remain anonymous,
please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Friday,
March 1, 2019

Published at 5 pm

Highway to Help

CBAs help communities from
ground zero up — not top down as the BC Liberals have shown

Voice Staff/Voice file
photo

Chilliwack MLA John
Martin was eating good until 2017 when the NDP grabbed hold of the meat
tongs.

ritish
Columbia. BC. Bring Cash. That's what the rest of the country says and
thinks about the province with the highest costs of living across
Canada.

This has been mainly due to years of
corporate greed and stressors that favour attracting so-called "big
business".

On Friday, Chilliwack riding MLA John
Martin and Liberal Labour Critic, demonstrated how far out on thin ice
his party is when skating around in the Legislature talking about way
back in the 1990s good old days and saying the NDP applied "community
benefit agreements (CBAs) that added 38 per cent to the Island Highway
Project."

Today, two decades later, the Liberal Party is still diametrically
opposed to the NDP spreading around money to starving residents and
desperate segments of communities that have been perpetually ignored by
them.

In the release Friday, Martin said the NDP is continuing to drive up the
price of public-sector projects warning of dire consequences.

“While the NDP estimated CBAs could add up
to seven per cent to project price tags, we’re learning these cost
increases could be closer to 20 per cent," said Martin. "And if history
has shown us anything, we could see these costs climb even further.”

However there is plenty of wiggle room for
$50 billion CBAs when shoed into a $700 billion budget.

The day before, on Thursday, the NDP announced the budget includes more
money for Community Living BC foster parents, adoptive caregivers,
extended family members caring for children with an additional $179/mo
to help cover basic necessities for children in their care, including
food, shelter and clothing. Effective April 1.

Yesterday, they also put errant parents, mostly fathers, on notice for
child support maintenance arrears indicating that any who owe more than
$3000 will have their driver's licence's suspended immediately unless
they can negotiate a structured repayment plan.

That should have been done decades ago. The Liberals never acted on it
and so finally the NDP pushed it through which is going to save the
government millions in childcare spending.

Watch airplanes drop from the sky and
fishing boats sink.

It's hard to see Martin's logic, much less intelligence, when he states
the NDP is costing jobs when in fact they're creating employment with
the hundreds of new housing starts across the province. The NDP aren't
spending wildly and suppressing employment by putting people to work
building those.

Martin has also conveniently forgotten about the new Saint Paul's
Hospital which will add thousands of construction jobs not to mention
the permanent health positions at the facility and other spin-off
employment. He didn't mention the revitalization of Chilliwack and how
many jobs and businesses will be brought in.

It's unclear how Martin can flaunt a
single Island Highway job example, catering to a two or three hundred
people driving black topper machines, and trump thousands of jobs spread
around to hundreds of communities where they're desperately needed. It's
hard to understand Martin's anti low-income, seniors, supportive care
homes stance across BC by his denying something the residents have a
right to – money.

“Even the NDP acknowledged community benefits agreements would increase
the costs of public infrastructure projects – but now we’re finding out
just how much these increases will be,” said Martin.

It's also not clear how Martin can look any BC resident in the eye and
expect them to believe this line of rhetoric.

Obviously, the NDP doesn't need to prove
anything. Martin is correct, British Columbians are worth more
than 20 per cent.

CBAs help communities from ground zero up
— not top down as the BC Liberals have demonstrated for the last twenty
years in office.

In summation, swerving around some potholes is of the least importance.